


At Last

by RainaGath



Series: Nyala Lavellan/Cullen Rutherford one-shots [2]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluffy Ending, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-01
Updated: 2015-03-01
Packaged: 2018-03-15 18:06:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3456758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainaGath/pseuds/RainaGath
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nyala Lavellan is resolved to tell Cullen how she feels. These constant interruptions, however, are taking toll on her patience.</p>
            </blockquote>





	At Last

**Author's Note:**

> This can be read as a standalone one-shot, but I wrote it as a follow-up to my fic "Not Alone" (http://archiveofourown.org/works/3289676).
> 
> In my most recent playthrough, I got to the point where I knew I should be getting the "first kiss" cutscene with Cullen, but every time I talked to another character on my way to the barracks I kept getting sucked into long, apparently important conversations. I smiled and nodded like a good Inquisitor, but I just wanted to make out with Cullen, damn it! I figured my own patience wearing thin at the constant delays would project well onto my feisty Lavellan, so here we are.
> 
> Constructive criticism is, of course, welcome!

Nyala furrowed her brow as she paced in her quarters. She had never before had trouble speaking her mind. Her mouth had gotten her in trouble with her keeper on more than one occasion. She certainly had no reservations telling Cassandra that she did not believe herself to be the Herald of Andraste, an act which earned the Seeker’s frequent ire. And yet, when it came to finding the words to tell Cullen how she felt, she faltered.

After the loss of her clan, the templar was the only one able to provide Nyala with a respite from her grief. She could no longer deny that her feelings for him were genuine. She needed to tell him the truth, she decided. But as she paced her quarters, failing to find adequate words to express to Cullen what he had come to mean to her, she found that this was much more easily said than done.

Throwing up her hands in frustration, Nyala groaned loudly and stomped resolutely towards the door. _I’m thinking about this too much,_ she thought to herself. _I just need to do it and be done with it._ She flung open the door and stepped across the threshold, hoping desperately that her confidence lasted her the long walk to Cullen’s post in the barracks.

No sooner had she stepped into Skyhold’s great hall, however, was she intercepted by Mother Giselle.

“Inquisitor! Pray, a moment of your time?”

Nyala barely managed to stifle an annoyed sigh and gave the Mother a placating smile. “Yes, Mother Giselle?”

“My Lady Inquisitor, it is good of you to speak with me. I have news regarding one of your…companions. The Tevinter.”

\--------------------

Nyala knew she had done the right thing by telling Dorian of the letter Mother Giselle had received from his father, but she was nevertheless relieved to be walking down the stairs of the library and resuming her journey to the barracks. She was still riddled with apprehension, but she was too committed to back out now. Stepping into the great hall once more, she made her way toward the fortress’s exit.

“Inquisitor!”

Rolling her eyes, she turned to face the dwarf that had called for her. “Varric. What can I do for you?”

“Forgive the intrusion, your Inquisatorialness,” Varric said, “but Hawke has had me looking for you for Maker knows how long. She and Warden Alistair want to discuss strategies for Adamant.”

“What, _now?”_ Nyala said, unable to hide her irritation.

“Yesterday,” Varric said with a smirk. “She’s been trying to peg Curly for a meeting, but apparently he’s too busy being buried in paperwork and styling his hair to bother. You really don’t want to refuse, Inquisitor. I’ll never hear the end of it if—”

“Oh, yes, fine!” Nyala said, immediately feeling bad for snapping at Varric and taking a calming breath. “Lead on.”

\--------------------

Nyala strode once more toward the exit of the great hall. Hawke and Alistair had prattled on about logistics and battle strategy for hours, and it took all of her willpower to productively contribute. This was important, she knew, and she had a duty and responsibility as Inquisitor to provide her aid. But after being delayed twice, her patience was wearing thin.

This discussion with Cullen was not one she had been particularly looking forward to, but she knew it was one that needed to be had. Interestingly, these delays had served to strengthen her resolve, and as she crossed the courtyard she felt her confidence returning, though it was not enough to rid herself of her looming sense of foreboding. _What if he rejects me?_ Nyala shook the unwelcome thought away. She wouldn’t let herself think about it. _I won’t be discouraged now._

“Inquisitor! May I—”

 _“Later!”_ Nyala pushed past the guard that had approached her and immediately ascended the stairs to the barracks. She didn’t know what he had wanted and right now, she didn’t care. Duties to the Inquisition be damned, she needed to do this.

When she at long last approached the door to Cullen’s post, she hesitated. Now that she found herself here, she still had no idea what to say to him. As comfortable as she had grown to be with Cullen, she never thought she’d find herself wanting to discuss something like this. She had feelings for him. She, an elf, had feelings, real feelings, for a human.

Nyala took a steadying breath and placed her hand on the door’s handle. _It’s too late to turn back now._ Her heart pounding fast in her chest, she pushed the door open.

Cullen stood leaning on his desk, looking over a scattered pile of reports. He looked up at the sound of the door’s rusty hinges squeaking open, and Nyala could have sworn she saw a faint trace of a smile across his face as his eyes met hers. He stood up straight as she approached him. “Inquisitor?”

“Commander,” she said, her voice cracking slightly as her nerves got the better of her. She cleared her throat and steadied herself. “I thought we could talk…alone?” She cast a quick glance toward the guard standing in the corner of the room, knowing this was not a conversation to be had in mixed company.

“Alone?” Cullen said, his eyes widening slightly. Nyala could not help but smile at his brief loss in composure. “I-I mean, of course.” He stepped around his desk and walked to the door, gesturing for Nyala to exit first before stepping through himself and closing the door behind him.

Finally, she was alone with Cullen, and she was still unsure of what to say. _Gods give me strength, I can do this._ This had plagued her thoughts for days. It had to be done.

“It’s a…nice day.”

Nyala froze in her tracks, giving Cullen a confused stare. “What?” _Mercy of Mythal, is he serious?_

“It’s…” Cullen trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck nervously before allowing his hand to fall back to his side. “There was something you wished to discuss?”

There was no turning back now. _I’ve always been known for brutal honesty…_ “I find myself thinking of you,” Nyala said finally. “More than…well…all the time, really.”

Her confession was by no means poetic, but it seemed to properly convey the message, at least. A curious expression came across Cullen’s face—Surprise? Relief? He paused for a moment before responding. “I…can’t say I haven’t thought about what it would be like,” he admitted.

Nyala immediately felt a sense of relief knowing that she hadn’t been alone in her thoughts. Allowing herself to relax a bit, she rested a hand on the wall of the barracks. “What’s stopping you?”

“You’re the Inquisitor. We’re at war, and…you…” Cullen shook his head slightly and took a step toward Nyala. “I didn’t think it was possible.”

 _Neither did I._ “And yet I’m still here,” Nyala said.

Cullen smiled warmly. “So you are,” he said softly, stepping closer towards Nyala. “It seems too much to ask…but I want to…”

Ordinarily Nyala would have been surprised by Cullen’s display of vulnerability, but she found herself unable to think of anything else when she noticed how close he was now standing to her, his hands on her hips, leaning forward slowly...

“Commander!”

Not bothering to hide her annoyance, Nyala sighed and looked down at the ground. _Oh, Dread Wolf take you…_ Cullen seemed equally irritated, not even bothering to acknowledge the guard that walked unwittingly out of Cullen’s office and onto the barracks.

“You wanted a copy of sister Leliana’s report.”

Cullen sighed, finally stepping away from Nyala and turning to face the guard that had interrupted them. _“What?”_

“Sister Leliana’s report?” the guard said, still completely oblivious to his intrusion. “You wanted it delivered without delay.”

Though Cullen had his back turned to her, Nyala did not need to see his face to know that he was shooting daggers at the guard. She could feel the contempt pouring from him as Cullen stared him down. The guard glanced at Nyala, and she shifted uncomfortably and rubbed her temple. _Maybe I should just save myself more embarrassment and hurl myself off the barracks now._

“Or…to your office!” the guard said, finally seeming to take the hint. “Right!” He slunk backwards toward Cullen’s office, never taking his eyes off the looming templar as he closed the door with a loud slam.

Nyala gave a dejected sigh. _Maybe these interruptions keep happening for a reason…_ “If you need to—”

She didn’t know how she was going to finish that sentence, but luckily, she didn’t have to. Before she could finish, Cullen’s hands were wrapped around her head and his lips were on hers. She didn’t know how to react at first, her hands hanging awkwardly at her sides in surprise at Cullen’s rather physical interruption. It didn’t take her long, however, to relax into his touch and she eagerly returned the kiss, resting her hands on his waist. His lips were soft and warm, just as she had imagined in her dreams.

When Cullen finally broke the kiss, he gave her an unsure look. “I’m sorry. That was, erm, really nice,” he said with a smile.

Nyala gave a quiet chuckle, amused at Cullen’s uncertainty but too relieved to comment on it. _“That_ was what I wanted.”

“Oh!” Cullen seemed surprised but ultimately reassured as he smiled and leaned in once again. “Good.”

And in that moment, Nyala knew that the headaches of that day had been worth it.


End file.
